ITC rules iPhone doesn’t infringe Google’s patents

The United States International Trade Commission on Monday evening ruled that Apple’s iPhone does not infringe on technology Google gained when it acquired Motorola Mobility in 2011. The company had been seeking an import ban against the iPhone 4 because it allegedly uses Motorola’s protected technology. A panel of judges upheld an earlier decision, however, that found the proximity sensor patent Motorola was asserting is invalid. A Google spokesperson told Reuters that the company was “disappointed with this outcome and are evaluating our options.” The decision can now be appealed the to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.